Two-position switch



C. C. ALLYN March 28, 1944.

TWO-POSITION SWITCH Filed Sept. 24. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l O O D w L o m A $2 My w T 3 t L N Z a 0 a v MAKERS & BZEKAFLLIILS,

Much 28, 1944. c. c. ALLYN 2,344,938

TWO-POSITION SWITCH Filed Sept. 24. 1942 2 Shoots-Shoot 2 Patented Mar. 28,1944

z,344,93s I TWO-PO SITION SWITCH Charles C. Allyn, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company, Plainville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 24, 1942, Serial No. 459,492

6 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to hand operated enclosed switches of the reversing type but is applicable to other so-called double throw switches.

In reversing switches actuated by a single handle there is grave danger of damage in case the switch is reversed too quickly. I have according- 1y devised a very simple but reliable means for preventing the operator from throwing the handle directly from one on position to the other.

In other words it is necessary to definitely stop the handle and switch parts in the 011 position at least momentarily before reversing the switch.

I have shown the invention as applied to a double throw switch such as disclosed in the Getchell Patent 2,247,231 dated June 24, 1941,

. but with a front operated connection of the character of the Rowe Patents 2,216,298 of October 1, 1940, and2,256,910 of September 23, 1941.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a front operated switch having one form of safety device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an inside front view showing the connections to the switches within the box.

Fig. 3 is a view showing parts of the actuating mechanism within the box, the cover being open. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of the actuating handle and safety device of Fig. 1. 7

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of a modified form of handle and safety device for a switch of the type of Figs. 2 and 3.

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of another form of handle and safety device applicable especially to a side operated switch, such as the one show in Getchell Patent 1,483,846.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the guard member.

The box l2 hasa hinged cover l3 of suitable I character. Each switching unit i4 and I5 (details not shown) has its own operating crank such.

as l6 and I! as shown for instance mounted in the box as in the Getchell Patent 2,247,231, and connected by a link such as I8 and |9 to an oscillating disc pivoted at 20. As the disc is turned in one direction or the other the respective switch units will be turned on or "oif in the customary manner. I

The handle 2| has a hub 22 which is mounted in the cover and connected by an arm 23 to a slide 24. This actuates' the arm 25 which is slotted and engages a projection 23 on the disc 20 to oscillate the disc in a manner similar to the operation of the crank l3 in the Rowe Patent 2,256,910.

The handle however has four positions, off and two on as indicated in Fig. 1.

two

' the off position. The hub 22 has a slot so in which the handle 2|. can slide. Knobs 3| on the ends of the handle limit the sliding beneath the cross pin 32 in the slot. A guard 33 however prevents the handle from sliding except when in the 011 position. To reverse the switch from the position of Fig. 4 the handle 2| must be moved to the right to the 011'! position so as to free the left knob 3| from the guard 33, then slide the handle to the left hand o position and then swing the handle upwardly to the left hand on" position. It will thus be seen that the operator mustdeliberately turn off the switch and then perform a separate and distinct act in order to turn it on to the other position.

There is therefore little chance of reversing the current while the armature of a motor in the circuit is still turning in its original direction.

The guard and handle may be provided with holes such as 35 and 36 for a padlock or other sealing device for locking the switch and handle in the off position. The hub and guard may also have notches 31 and a hole 38 for a padlock hasp for locking the handle and switch in the on positions.

In the form of device shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the handle 40 is pivoted on the pin 4| in a slot 42 in the hub 43. The hub has a groove 44 into which a flange 45 of the guard 46 projects. The handle has a notch 41 which is in the plane of the groove 44 and flange 45. The handle is free to be turned from one "oiP position to the other but when the handle is in eitherof the on positions the flange of the guard is interlocked with the notch in the end of the handle so that the handle can only be turned back to the oil?" position. It is understood of course that in switches of this character the switch mechanism is moved in one direction to close the circuit and must be moved in the opposite direction to open the circuit.

The 51 adapted to slide in these grooves and to move two "on" positions depending upon which of the grooves the nose 51 is in.

I claim:

1. In a double throw switch, a box containing the two switch devices and having a cover hinged to the box, a hub carried by the cover and operatively connected with the switch devices, a handle carried by the hub and movable with respect thereto from one oi! position to another "0 position and movable with the hub from each "011'" position to a corresponding "on" position' and a guard coacting with the handle to prevent its movement from one "on position to the other except after the handle has been moved to an oil'" position.

2. A double throw switch having an actuating hub and a handle slidable in the hub and having two "oii" positions'and two on positions and a guard for preventing direct movement oi the handle from one on position to the other.

3. A switch operating device comprising a notatable hub having a slot in its-outer end, a handle slidable in said slot and having knobs on its ends and a guard partially surrounding said hub and serving to prevent sliding movement oi the handle except when the handle is in the "oil" position.

4. A switch operating device comprising a rotatable hub having a slot in its outer-end, a handle slidable in said slot and a gua'rd partially surrounding said hub and serving to prevent sliding movement of the handle except when the handle is in the ofl" position, the guard and handle having cooperating means for receiving locking means to prevent movement 01' the handle.

5. A switch operating device comprising a rotatable hub having a slot in its outer end. a handle slidable in said slot and a guard partially surrounding said hub and serving to prevent sliding movement of the handle except when the handle is in the "o position, said hub and guard having cooperating means for receiving means for preventing movement of the hub.

6. A double throw switch having a rotatable hub. an actuating handle pivoted to the hub to swing in a plane parallel with the axis of the hub and having two "on" positions and a central "oi!" position and a guard partially surrounding said hub, said guard having two coaxial grooves in diflerent planes transverse to the axis at the hub and with a passage connecting the adjacent ends of the grooves, the grooves extending circumferentially in opposite directions from said passage and said handle having a projection movable in said grooves and said passage to guide the handle from one on position through the central of!" position to the other "on" position.

CHARLES C. ALLYN. 

